1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video conferencing generally and, more particularly, to an enhanced video conferencing system and method that provides the illusion to the video conference participants located at different sites of being in the same physical space, such as being in the same room.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventional video conferencing facilities do not provide video conference participants located at different locations with the perception or feeling of being in the same physical space. Typically, a video conference system includes one or more standard definition cameras, and one or more television-sized monitors in each room. The cameras are located to capture an image of a view of an entire room (a source room) including its participants and to send the captured image to the video monitors in a destination room. The camera is typically located at one remote end of the source room, such as mounted on a wall or placed above the display monitors. The situation is generally the same in the destination room. The overall approach is simply to enable participants in each room to see each other on their respective video monitors, much like watching television. Where the camera is set to capture an image of the entire room, the participants in that room often appear small and remote to the viewers in the destination room. Where the camera is zoomed to capture the face of one or the participants, then it appears oversized in scale, and without any of the context of the rest of the participants. In particular, the viewers in the remote room cannot see the reactions, body language or other activity of the participants in the source room when the camera is zoomed in on only one of the participants there. Overall, no effort is made to create the perception of a single shared physical space between the participants where participants in both rooms can see the entire other room in a realistic and properly scaled fashion.
Further, the television-to-television model of current video conferencing systems is not at all conducive to how individuals normally interact in a group setting, such as in a group meeting. In actual physical meetings, individuals make eye contact with each other, use body language and other non-verbal cues. The typical arrangement of a conventional video conference room all but makes realistic eye contact between individual participants impossible, and either overly exaggerates or suppresses body language and other non-verbal cues. A participant does not get the feel of realistic eye contact when looking at the enlarged face of another person on a television monitor. Likewise, there is a feeling of eye contact when the camera is zoomed out to capture the entire source room. The result is a rather primitive form of video conferencing where participants rely primarily on voice and much less on useful visual information and cues in order to communicate and which thereby fails to convey much of the emotional content experienced with “in-person” meetings.
Further shortcoming of many conventional video conferencing systems include quite poor quality images, most often with low resolution due to bandwidth limitations, inability to properly handle simultaneous dialog, and improper lighting, and poor sound due to improper acoustics.
Moreover, the equipment of such conventional video conferencing systems can be obtrusive, with no effort made to hide the video conferencing equipment. Most video conference systems are sold in a cart configuration, with one or two video monitors mounted on top of a rolling or fixed stand, which is then placed at one of end of the conference room; the camera is typically mounted above the monitors, sometimes in a large cabinet that houses a motion tracking system and multiple microphone array. Because this equipment is so obtrusive, communication may be hindered because the participants feel like they are talking to a camera rather than another person and may be camera shy.
Furthermore, conventional video conferencing facilities are typically unable to capture and transmit images with high fidelity resolution. In many video conferencing applications, it is desirable to be able to view an image with high resolution in order to see the details of such image. For example, in the film industry, a director may wish to view and review the details of sketches or “storyboards” from a remote location and also to be able to discuss and collaborate on such storyboards in a video conference setting. Another example, in the area of technical design, an engineering team at one location may wish to view and discuss via video conferencing images on a computer screen, including lines of code, CAD drawings, schematics and/or other detailed figures with another engineering team located at a remote location. Because conventional video conference facilities typically use a standard definition camera located at one remote end of a conference room for capturing an image of the entire room, they are unable to capture and transmit images within the conference room with high fidelity resolution. Such conventional video conference systems are, at best, sufficient for capturing the rough outlines of participants in a conference room, but insufficient for capturing the details of a storyboard, lines of code, a CAD drawing, a schematic or any other detailed figures.
All of the above shortcomings substantially reduce the effectiveness of video conferencing as a way for remote individuals to collaborate, communicate and share ideas.